When the holder of a contract of purchase surrenders the same to the commissioner of university and school lands with a written request to have it divided into two or more contracts, the commissioner, when the application has been approved by the board of university and school lands, may issue new contracts accordingly, but no new contracts may be issued:
When any application proposes the division of the land into irregular tracts or tracts other than the regular government subdivisions, the applicant shall file with the commissioner a plat of the land showing the boundaries and area in acres [hectares] of each subdivision. The commissioner shall collect a fee of five dollars for each new contract issued under the provisions of this section.
N.D.C.C. § 15-08-09